As is generally known, sterile surgical gowns are designed to greatly reduce, if not prevent, the transmission through the gown of liquids and biological contaminats which may become entrained therein. In surgical procedure environments, such liquid sources include the gown wearer's perspiration, patient liquids, such as blood and life support liquids such as plasma and saline.
Many of these surgical gowns were originally made of cotton or linen and were sterilized prior to the use in the operating room. These gowns, however, permitted transmission or "strike-through" of various liquids encountered in surgical procedures. In these instances, a path was established for transmission of bacteria and other contaminats to and from the wearer of the gown. Furthermore, these gowns were costly, and of course laundering and sterilization procedures were required before reuse.
Disposable surgical gowns have largely replaced linen surgical gowns. Because many surgical procedures require total liquid repellency to prevent strike-through, disposable gowns for use under these conditions are made entirely from liquid repellent or impervious fabrics. However, there are many surgical procedures which may permit the use of surgical gowns which are not totally liquid impervious. In these instances, disposable gowns which are not totally liquid impervious are made with such liquid repellent or impervious fabrics selectively positioned so as to provide the wearer with strike-through protection in the areas of the gown most likely to contact or be contacted by liquids. Such partial liquid impervious gowns provide greater breathability and wearer comfort.
Whether the surgical procedure dictates the use of a surgical gown which is totally liquid impervious or a surgical gown which is not totally liquid impervious, it is generally preferred that gown closure about the wearer's body occur at the wearer's back and not the wearer's front. In this way, the portion of the gown which overlies the wearer's chest and abdomen may be formed from an uninterrupted sheet of materials, albeit that such sheet may be formed from a plurality of pieces of material which are stitched or seamed together.
While a continuous gown front provides improved barrier protection in the areas of the gown most likely to contact or be contacted by liquids as compared to gown fronts which are gaped or interrupted by a closure means, the barrier protection provided by the back of the gown is also a concern of health care providers, gown manufactures and patients alike. This is so because traditional closure means used in disposable surgical gowns, which for example include, buttons, hooks, tape, and ties, may create gaps in the back of the gown. In some instances these gaps occur around the union of or adjacent to the back panels. The presence of such gaps around the union of the back panels of back closure gowns provides direct and/or unrestricted avenues of passage to and from the wearer for contaminats, such as those described above.
Therefore, whether the surgical gown is disposable or reusable or liquid impervious or partially liquid impervious, there exist a need for back closure gowns, and methods of making the same, which provide improved barrier protection and particularly improved barrier protection for the back of the wearer's body overlaid by the gown.